Chapter 497: My Luo family’s collection of books may not be very large
Sima Qian looked up towards the source of the voice and saw two sons of the Luo family coming together. One was Gongzi Qing, and the other looked quite similar to Gongzi Qing, whom he had never seen before.
Luo Qing introduced: "Taishigong, this is my elder brother, Gongzi Bai.
Brother, this is what I call a great talent, the former Grand Historian Sima Zichang, a family of historians passed down from generation to generation.
This is a true historian.”
A true historian!
Sima Qian was stunned. This was probably the highest evaluation: a pure person, a person who was free from vulgar tastes.
Luo Bai looked at Sima Qian with a higher regard. After the two of them exchanged greetings, Luo Bai said, "Taishigong, please follow me to meet my father."
Because Sima Qian came here on a private basis and it was not a public occasion, there was no need to be too serious. Several people walked along the road they had just swept.
Sima Qian discovered that although the palace in the inner city of Zhaocheng was much smaller than the imperial palace in Chang'an, the feeling was completely different. There was a sense of grandeur and heaviness at all times here.
From every scratch on the wall, from every quaint building, a sense of antiquity emerges spontaneously, followed by an overwhelming sensory impact that makes people feel awe.
Especially when passing by the Luo clan ancestral temple, the brave warriors standing in front of the door looked like sculptures, and the sound of praising the emperor could be heard faintly.
This is simply a holy place for writing history!
Along the way, Sima Qian already felt that his literary inspiration was flowing, and he could definitely write passionately and write a general history with brilliant literary talent on the basis of ensuring historical facts.
The three of them talked as they walked, and Luo Bai praised repeatedly, saying that he was really blinded by one thing before and could not think of this way of writing.
After a few more words, Luo Bai discovered that Sima Qian was not just capable of coming up with new history books, he also had considerable literary talent. Even if he didn't become a historian, he could certainly become a novelist.
The same historical materials can be written very differently by different people. Luo hopes that more people will enjoy reading history.
The three of them walked into the house, which was instantly different from the severe cold outside under the warmth of the fireplace. They then walked through a corridor, knocked on the door, and suddenly felt refreshed.
The furnishings in the room were in the simple style that the Luo family had always maintained. Sitting at the main table was a man with a very dignified look. He was the head of the Luo family, the current Duke Zhao, Luo Sheng.
In the room, Lady Zhaogong and the stunningly beautiful Wang Wenjun were brewing tea together, and the aroma filled the air.
"Father!"
Luo Bai and Luo Qing bowed together, then walked to the sides and sat down.
Sima Qian took a deep breath, bowed and said loudly: "Foreign minister Sima Qian greets the Duke!"
Luo Sheng bowed in return and said, "Taishigong, please take a seat. Ah Qing said in the letter that Taishigong wants to borrow my Luo family's historical materials?"
Sima Qian nodded and said, “I have quite a few books in my house, but they are far from what Luo has.
Sima had served as Grand Historian since the founding of the Han Dynasty and was relatively familiar with palace affairs. However, the information before the founding of the Han Dynasty was not very clear. The only known source was the records about the three ancient dynasties before the Qin Dynasty among the Hundred Schools of Thought.
But the various schools of thought are not historians, they exist to explain things, and their records are often erroneous and have been edited, so Qian hopes to read Luo's historical materials to ensure the authenticity of the history books. "
Luo Sheng pondered for a moment and then said, "There is such a record in the Luo family's history books. The prince of King Jie of Zhou was named Shu. Shu's wife was beautiful, so King Jie...
How would you write this paragraph?
Sima Qian knew this story. After all, one of the protagonists of this story was Chong'er, the overlord of the Spring and Autumn Period. It was because Chong'er participated in the palace rebellion of the Zhou royal family and supported the emperor to ascend the throne that he completed the last piece of the puzzle to become an overlord.
He pondered and said, "King Jie corrupted the royal family, causing resentment between the ruler and his subjects, and between fathers and sons. Heaven will not tolerate this, and the clan law will not forgive it.
In the autumn of the 20th year, Shu killed King Jie in Luo. This was not murder, but execution! "
Sima Qian's original intention of recording history was not only to record events, but also to express attitudes from them.
Luo Sheng nodded slightly and said to Luo Bai and Luo Qing, "Have a cup of tea, and then take Taishigong to the storage room."
Even a steady man like Sima Qian bowed with a trembling voice and said, "Qian thanks you, my Lord. May you live long and be blessed."
Wang Wenjun, who was making tea, took the teapot and poured tea for his father and mother, then poured tea for himself. Luo Bai took the teapot and passed it on.
Sima Qian was shocked by Wang Wenjun's appearance. He knew that women of the Luo family were beautiful, but none as beautiful as the one before him.
Moreover, he had been in the palace for many years and was used to seeing beautiful women, but compared with this woman who was as pure and elegant as the snow on the Tianshan Mountains, all of them seemed vulgar.
His first thought was that such an extraordinary woman who was beyond ordinary people's imagination should be recorded in his history book.
"Biographies of Extraordinary Women"!
A collection of extraordinary women in the world who are talented, beautiful, virtuous and meritorious.
After a cup of tea, Luo Sheng saw the guests off and the group walked out of the house. Sima Qian was surprised to see Wang Wenjun standing in the cold wind in a single layer of clothing, yet she felt no discomfort at all. He became more determined to include her in the history books. Other historians did not have the opportunity to get in touch with Luo Sheng at such close range, so he must do his best.
"Taishigong, you came at a very coincidental date. If paper had not been invented, the area of the storage room alone would be as large as a palace, and the number of bamboo slips displayed in it would be so large that it would block out the sun and the sky. It is beyond your imagination.
After paper was invented, the family has been copying some important books, but the project is so huge that many books of lesser importance have not been copied yet. "
The invention of paper greatly increased the convenience of carrying books, but it was still not easy for ordinary people to get a book. Asking for a book from the Luo family was free, but the Luo family had requirements for people's character. You had to prove your own moral character, and you had to bring your own pen, ink, paper and inkstone. The Luo family seldom did charity to others, mainly to prevent the occurrence of gratitude and resentment.
Luo has been transcribing books on bamboo slips. One or two sheets of paper may be cheap, but Luo has so many books that the cost is too high. Also, there are not enough people, so the progress of transcribing seems a bit slow to Luo.
Sima Qian was secretly astonished when he heard this. Such a huge principality could not even be copied down. How many books would there be?
He soon found out!
The moment the door of the storage room was opened, Sima Qian was completely speechless. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end no sound came out.
Looking forward from where he was standing, he saw rows of bookshelves with rolls of bamboo slips and bound books lined up one after another. Looking to the end of his sight, there was darkness and the bookshelves disappeared into it.
Luo Bai looked at Sima Qian and smiled, "Taishigong, my Luo family's collection of books is not that large. This collection room already occupies half of the thousand-year historical materials of the State Zhou Dynasty."
half!
This is only half?
Sima Qian now understood what Luo Qing said. Luo's collection of books was as vast as the ocean. If he wrote this history alone, he would definitely have to delete a large amount of historical materials.
Now it seems that there is absolutely no falsehood. Based on what he learned about Bang Zhou's deeds from various channels, it is probably only one-tenth of what is here.
Luo's.
It's so terrifying!
Luo Qing pushed the door open completely, stepped inside and said, "Taishigong, let me introduce the distribution of books here. When you need to collect books later, you can come and get them directly."
Several people walked in. Luo Qing pointed to the first row of bookshelves and said, "This is the first batch of countries that were destroyed by the Zhou Dynasty. Many of them were destroyed by barbarians. The historical data is very incomplete. You have never even heard of many of these countries. Just use them as a reference."
Walking forward, Sima Qian saw some familiar handwriting, probably the historical materials of various countries before King Yi of Zhou. Luo Qing said: "The historical materials here are those that I have heard of. Basically, they appeared in the early days. Many of the fables of the Hundred Schools of Thought are taken from here.
Confucianism, Taoism, and Mohism all drew materials from here. Laozi, Confucius, Mozi, and Mencius attained enlightenment and became saints here. The passionate examples in their classics were all derived from here.
Sima Qian, you have to work hard.
The opportunity to become a saint, the opportunity to be the number one historian, is right before you. You will be listed in the temple of philosophers, and all historians will worship you in the future.
You have talent and opportunity, it would be a shame if you don’t try it.”
The Luo family does not claim the title of saint. Except for Luo Minggong who is quite special, there is no saint of the Luo family among the various schools of thought.
There is only Lord Luo Ming in the Temple of the Sons.
The Luo family does not produce saints and wise men. We are just the builders and porters of the statues of saints and wise men. In the process, we just harvest a little bit of the essence of wisdom.
Luo's instinct is to brag.
Luo was also good at making big promises. These words made Sima Qian's heart waver. An incomparably beautiful picture was presented before him.
Moreover, Luo's has always been a representative of credibility!
There are quite a few people who have become saints in the Luo's Academy. They never do anything to snatch the naming rights of others' wisdom. They are truly the clearest among the clear.
In this endless treasure house, Luo Qing used only two sentences to change Sima Qian's goal from writing a history book that would be remembered through the ages to becoming a saint through one book and becoming the number one historian.
"Sir, please continue to introduce Qian. I can't wait to start writing this history book."
Hearing Sima Qian's slightly anxious voice, Luo Bai and Luo Qing looked at each other with smiles in their eyes. Wang Wenjun was too familiar with Luo Bai and whispered, "It feels like you two brothers are plotting something."
Luo Bai laughed softly and said, "Cooperation is win-win, this is a win-win situation."
Win-win means that the Luo family wins twice, first reaping a wave of Sima Qian's wisdom, and then continuing to maintain the reputation of the Luo family as a holy land of historians.
As the group walked along, Luo Qing explained to Sima Qian all the way. At the end, Sima Qian asked in confusion, "Sir, why are there no historical books about the Shang Dynasty?"
Luo Bai and Luo Qing looked at each other, and Wang Wenjun's expression also became a little solemn.
(End of this chapter)
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